


Once Again

by PeroxidePirate



Series: Things [5]
Category: Tortall - Pierce
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-12
Updated: 2010-04-12
Packaged: 2017-10-08 22:04:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/79961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeroxidePirate/pseuds/PeroxidePirate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Picks up a short time after "Before - During - After." Kel and Owen decide that they might still have some things to teach each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Again

Kel and Owen stood on the wall, looking out over the ground outside New Hope.

“Doing all right?” Owen asked, and Kel sighed. It had been another week of petty frustrations, and though she would never let her people see her impatience, for the moment she was alone with a friend.

Owen lifted one hand to rub her back, and Kel leaned into the comfort he provided.

Well, since their one night together, she had to admit it was more than comfort. Desire flared through her, and when she stole a glance at Owen, he was looking steadily back.

“The other night,” she said slowly, “do you think we figured out everything we need to know?”

“I think we made a jolly good _start,”_ Owen answered, and his hand moved a little lower on Kel's back.


	2. Less Successful

Owen was on Kel almost as soon as the door closed, kissing her while his hands ran over her body in a way that reminded her of the boy he'd been when she first met him, years before: all enthusiasm and no skill. She had said she wanted this, and she did want it, but he was in such a rush. She tried to show him she wanted to slow down by moving her own hands slowly and placing gentle kisses on his face, but he didn't get the hint.

“Owen,” she said firmly, gripping his shoulders.

“Kel,” he moaned, still oblivious.

He was her friend, and she didn't want to hurt his feelings, but something had definitely changed in the week since their first encounter. Wishing she could understand what, Kel closed her eyes.


	3. Apology

“That wasn't what you wanted it to be, was it?” Owen asked.

It was hard for Kel to lie, in general, and impossible to lie to Owen. She looked away.

“I'm sorry,” he said. “I just wanted you so much.” He squeezed her, arm around her waist.

She sighed, still disappointed, but she couldn't actually be mad. “It's all right. We're friends, Owen. Maybe that's all we're supposed to be.”

“But last time...”

Kel felt herself blushing. “Maybe that was a fluke,” she said, forcibly keeping her voice steady.

“Or maybe this was?” Owen said, hopefully. “Kel, can I try to make it up to you? Please?”

The look on his face was the one she could never resist. “All right.”

He gave her a grateful smile, and then began to place a trail of careful, delicate kisses down her front.


	4. Better

Would it be rude, Kel wondered, for her to wind the fingers of both hands into Owen's curls and hold on tight, in order to keep him from moving his head away?

Then she stopped thinking at all, acting on instinct instead, but Owen didn't seem to mind.

“How did I do this time?” he asked, looking up at her, hopeful and pink-cheeked when she'd finally released her hold.

“Do you need to ask?” She brushed reverent fingers over his cheek and then his lips, and he grinned at the implied praise. “Come up here.”

He crawled up the bed, laying close beside her: head pillowed on her chest, strong arm around her waist, exciting hardness against her hip. He tipped his head up, kissing her sweetly.

Kel grinned. “Does this mean I owe you?”

He looked away – trying not to push, she guessed – but before he did, she saw the flash of excitement in his eyes. “Of course not,” he said. “We're friends, remember? This is just fun. Neither of us have to anything we don't want to.”

“Owen,” she said, seriously, “I do want to. But I'm not sure I know how.”

“Well,” he said, “you can try as many times as you like.”


	5. Learning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another for the "just to see if I can" pile, and I've now written my personal quota of het smut for the foreseeable future.

__

Kel found herself between his legs, the object of her attention right there in front of her, just asking to be touched, mouthed, taken in. So she did. She was clumsy at first, uncertain, but from Owen's breathing and the way he said her name, he seemed to like everything she did. Soon enough they found a rhythm. His hands reached down to tangle in her hair, echoing her actions from a few moments before. She could spare just enough attention to slide her hands up his thighs, over his belly, across his chest. Then there was more evidence that she'd been doing it right, and when she looked up at him, the expression on his face was pure amazement. Kel grinned. She loved learning new things.


	6. Leaving

  
“I should go,” Kel said, reluctantly, as she smoothed Owen's hair back from his face. His curls were matted with sweat, but the expression on his face was peaceful. Something of the feeling she'd had that first time came back: pride that he was feeling this way because of her, a whisper of surprise because it wasn't quite what she expected, and her own contentment.

“Please stay,” he said, and kissed her before she could answer. This kiss started as delicately as she could have hoped, but it built into something more, something that made her want him all over again.

In the back of her mind, she remembered that he belonged to someone else, and a stab of jealousy cut through her. But they had promised to stay friends – promised each other that their time together was physical, only, a chance to learn some things that would endear them to other lovers, later.

“I have to go.” Kel dragged herself away, out of Owen's bed, and began to gather her clothes.


End file.
